AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Edwin had some deep, deep issues,” she said. “He loved manipulation, the more complex the better. He liked power, I think he enjoyed the sway he had over you. He liked hurting his wife and making her too ashamed to reveal her abuse because it gave him control.”
The sickness in my stomach grew as I adjusted to this information.
“After Efa left, I tracked down his elderly mother,” said Daphne softly. “She’d gone no-contact when he turned eighteen because he was so toxic and abusive towards her.”
“What was wrong with him?” I breathed.
“I don’t think there was anything wrong with him exactly,” she said. “He was just an evil, manipulative, seductive person. He hated authority and the desire for power just corrupted him. So he did what had to be done to make himself untouchable.”
“So…we were never really close,” I murmured. “All of it was just…bullshit.”
“You are a powerful man,” she said. “Edwin was intelligent, he knew what to say to gain your trust.”
There was a long silence and I cleared my throat.
“Was…was Edwin sober?” I asked.
“I would say not, considering Efa said he used to get drunk and verbally abuse her,” said Daphne.
“But…but he was sober when I met him,” I said. “It was one of the things we bonded over while I was recovering.”
My voice cracked. We were all quiet for a long time, just staring down at the table.
“I didn’t know him,” I said finally.
Daphne cleared her throat. “He had everyone else fooled, it wasn’t just you.”
“This feels fucking worse than when he died.”
No one had an answer to that so I stood up and gathered up my jacket. Ophelia was quiet as I hugged her and Daphne followed me out to the porch. Under the porch light, the hollows under her eyes were apparent.
“I’m sorry, darling,” she said. “I wanted to tell you after he died, but I always felt so guilty because Efa asked me not to.”
I swallowed. That part, I understood. I had my own secrets that, if revealed, would be just as earth shattering. Secrets that weren’t mine to share, but were mine to keep.
“I just feel so stupid,” I said.
She shook her head. “Opening yourself up to another person isn’t stupid. And it’s not your fault he took advantage of your vulnerability and used you.”
I nodded once.
“It’ll take time to process,” she said. “We love you, Merrick. So much, no matter what.”
I hugged her and when I drew back, her eyes were wet. She ran a hand over her face and pulled the Audi door open.
“Go on, go home,” she said. “I’m sure Clara is waiting for you.”
She said it like she knew something. And she probably did. But now wasn’t the time to get into the chaos that was my love life.
Not when the rest of it was such a fucking mess.
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
CLARA
No one had ever hit me before in my life, but that changed in a second when his hand contacted my face hard. Twice. I cried out and he stood there shocked as I hit the wall and slid down to the floor.
My face burned like fire. My eye throbbed.
